Tips On How To Extend The Life Of Your Vehicle

For many people, reliability is a big selling point when buying a new car. Afterall, you spend good money on a car and expect it to last you for years to come. While it is true that some car manufacturers have better reliability scores from others, there are things that you can do as a car owner to extend the life of your vehicle. Car mechanics worldwide agree that through regular maintenance you can make all the difference in owning a car that you will not have to worry about. As with owning anything, the little things that you do can make a big difference in the long run. This is also the case with your car, so read on to find out how you can best extend the life of your vehicle. 

Don’t Procrastinate

You may put off that oil change for another few hundred kilometers, or ignore the squealing brakes every time you stop. Yes, we all do that sometimes but this can decrease the longevity of a car significantly. While nobody enjoys paying the mechanic’s bill or taking the time to have your car regularly maintained, there is no denying it that regular car maintenance pays off huge in the end. 

With regular maintenance, you can have peace of mind knowing that you will be able to identify problems early on preventing you from being stranded by the roadside. This can also save you significant amounts of money, as fixing a problem early on is much less expensive than fixing a big problem later on.

Check The Fluids

Don’t fear the intricacies of what is under your car’s hood - your car’s fluid levels are relatively easy to monitor. Always refer to your car owner’s manual for specific information regarding your car’s fluids. 

Car mechanics suggest that you check your engine oil levels at least once a month. Any car owner should know that low oil can cause excessive wear on the engine, or worse, cause a vehicle’s engine to seize completely. Additionally, keep an eye on your transmission fluid, power steering fluid, and brake fluid levels, especially on older vehicles, to make sure nothing is leaking.

Keep Your Car Clean

There are many advantages to keeping your car clean, aside from the obvious nice look. Dirt build up on your car’s exterior, for example, can easily damage your paint and contribute to rust build up as your car gets older. As for your engine, it is a good idea to have your engine professionally steam cleaned every year or two. This way, you can prevent future problems as grime buildup on engines can hamper your engine performance. 

Drive Easy

It is a fact that how you drive your car directly affects the longevity of your vehicle. Your car was designed to be driven moderately in a city and not like a F1 race car! It is easy to imagine that by hard acceleration and hard braking, your car will wear out sooner than expected. 

On the flip side, you should make sure that you take out your vehicle regularly and drive it. It is a good idea to not let your car sit idle for more than a week - drive it in the city and on the highway for a while each week. 

Let Your Car Warm Up

By taking a little time to warm up your car in the winter, you can significantly prolong the life of your engine and your car overall. Before driving away in the winter, it is best to let your car’s engine warm up for a minimum of 30 seconds so that it can run smoothly in hard weather conditions. 

If you would like to know how to take advantage of low insurance premiums on your well-maintained vehicle, please contact us today so that we can meet your insurance needs.